Hairpin holder and opener



April 29, 1958 p, TER ET AL 2,832,355

HAIRPIN HOLDER AND OPENER Filed June 25, 1956 INVENTORS PETER L. MATER NORMAN G. ALBERT ATTORNEY United States Patent HAIRPIN HOLDER AND OPENER Application June 25,1956, Serial No. 593,469

7 Claims. c1. 132-1 This invention relates to a new and improved device for opening and'holding hairpins, as for instance, bobbypins, these hairpins being in general use and being made in Ui-shap'e of resilient material with the legs located closely adjacent each other, said legs being connected at the closed end of the U, which closed end forms a sort of wedgeshaped opening, all as conventional and well known.

The present device comprises a base upon which are mounted or are integrally molded therewith a pair of spaced members, one of which extends generally upwardly and terminates in a relatively sharp edge from which extend in a'downward direction a pair of diverging side edges terminating in means such as notches or the like which hold the legs of the bobbypins in spread condition ready for use; and the other of said members includes a guide and holding device for the wedge-shaped closed end of the pin, whereby said closed pin end is merely placed upon said guiding means and the opposite free end is then manually pivoted downwardly striking the sharp edge which serves to separate the legs of the pin, the separation of the legs being continually increased as the pin descends to be finally completely opened and held by the notches aforesaid in position ready for instant use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view, looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of the device.

The new and improved hairpin opener and holder may be provided with a base generally indicated at 10. This may be made of any material but it is intended that it shall be molded of commercial plastic material. This base may be hollowed to save material if desired and also it may be provided with a depressed tray portion 12 for the reception of a store of bobbypins which are to be used and which are in normally closed condition. The base may have this tray duplicated at 14 if desired.

Between the trays 12 and 14, there is provided the opening and holding device for the bobbypins. This device comprises two main parts, one of which is generally indicated at 16 and this part rises from the base 10 from a relatively wide lower portion 18 having a relatively short dimension transversely thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The base 18 terminates in a pair of in'turned shoulders 20, 20 which form notches for holding the legs of the pins spread as will be hereinafter described; and from these notches the member 16 rises as a sort of spear or arrowpoint, the sides of which converge terminating in a relatively sharp edge 22.

The forward portion of the arrowhead, which is indicated at 24, has leading edges or surfaces 26, 26 which converge toward each other, see particularly Fig. 2, and

p 1 Ice 2,832,355

. 2 this forms a downwardly slanting forward portion 28 for the sharp edge 22.

The other portion of the device is generally indicated at 30 and is also located on the base 10 in. spaced relation with regard to the member 16. The member 30 comprises an upright member which tapers upwardly but does not extend as high as the member 16. The member 30 has at its upper end a semi-circular ridge 32 forming a semicircular groove or recess 34 adapted to conform to the closed end of the usual bobbypin. Then, extending forwardly of this groove and forming a part thereof, there is an upwardly slanting tapering member 36 which acts as a guide, receiving the wedge-shaped closed end of the bobbypin as is indicated in Fig. l, the bobbypin being indicated generally at 38. A

In the use of the device, a bobbypin is taken from a tray or receptacle 12 or 14. The wedge-shapedclosed end portion ofthe pin is placed in the groove 34 so that the upstanding portion at,36 receives the same and guides the pin as it is swung downwardly in Fig. 4. This action causes the ends of the bobbypin legs to impinge upon the arrowhead portion 24 of the part 16, so that the edges 28 and 22 separate these legs; and as the pin continues its downward motion under influence of the finger of the user, the legs are completely spread to open position as shown in Fig. 1.

In this position, the notches 26 hold the pin in readiness to be used, and the user then merely picks up the pin between the first finger and the thumb holding the same open and uses the same for the usual purpose of pinning the hair. i

It will be noted that in open condition, the bobbypi is held well spaced from the top of the base 10 to allow plenty of room for the finger of the user to be inserted under the pin. It will also be appreciated that the opening action is substantially automatic and the operator may hold a curl in position with a finger of one hand while opening the bobbypin with the other hand and also removing the open bobbypin with the same hand, so that the action of opening the pins is fast and substantially automatic.

This invention does away with the necessity for opening bobbypins with the teeth or the finger-nails and this invention may be inexpensively manufactured and is easy to use, being always in convenient position on a dressing-table, etc. with means for providing a supply of bobbypins ready for opening in the receptacle.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. An opener device for bobby-type hairpins comprising a base, a pair of spaced upright members on the base, one of said members comprising an upwardlydirected substantially spearpoint-shaped element having an upwardly-directed, relatively sharp edge, and the other member comprising a combined guide for the closed end of the usual hairpin and supporting means therefor so that the hairpin may be positioned upon the guide means at the closed end of the pin and, then swung downwardly to engage the hairpin legs with the sides of the spearpoint at each side of the sharp edge to spread the legs of the hairpin.

2. An opener device according to claim 1 including supporting means onthe spearpoint-shaped element to hold the spread legs of the pin.

3. An opener device according to claim 1 including supporting means on the spearpoint-shaped element to hold the spread legs of the pin above the upper surface of the base and in spaced relation thereto.

4. An opener device according to claim 1 including PatentedApr. as, "1953 i t s o supporting means on the spearpoint-shaped element'to hold' the spread legs'of the pin above the upper surface of the" base and in spaced relation thereto, the guide member supporting the closed end of the pin above the base so that the pin is held .in generally horizontal position spaced above the i removal. 7 7 7 v p 5. An opening 'device according to claim 1 wherein said other member includes a substantially arcshaped recesshaving a rear Wall and a bottom receiving and supporting the closed end of a bobbypimtthe concave aspect of the arc-shaped recess facing the broad side of the Wedge-shaped element.

.6. An opening device for bobbypins comprising a base and a pair of spaced members thereon, one of said members comprising a Wedge-shaped element having a narrow edge directed upwardly and the other member comprising a standard including a substantially arc-shaped recess having a rear wall and a bottom receiving and supporting the closed end of a bobbypin, the concave aspect ofthe arc-shaped recess facing the broad side of the wedge-shaped element, and a wedge-shaped guiding member extending forwardly from said arc-shaped recess and serving to position and center the bobbypin in its initial motion toward the wedge-shaped member.

base rea b for mannal 7. An openingdevice for bobbypins comprising a base and a pair of spaced members thereon, one ofsaid members comprisinga wedge-shaped element having a narrow edge directed upwardly and the other member comprising a standard including a substantially areshaped recess havinga rear wall and a bottom receiving and supporting the closed end of a bobbypin, the concave aspect of the arc-shaped recess facing the broad side of the wedge-shaped element, and a wedge-shaped guiding inemher extending forwardly from said areshaped recess andserving to position and center the bobbypin in its initial motion toward the wedge-shaped member, said Wedge-shaped guiding member narrowing towardthe wedge-shaped element and extending above the arc-shaped groove, and conforming in general to the shape of the usual'wedge-shaped opening at the closed end of a conventional bobbypin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 158,812 7 Solomon May 30, 1950 2,528,991' Auman Nov. 7, 1950 2,710,612 Reilly June 14, 1955 

